How Camps and Nature Can Restore Children's Wellbeing

The science supporting nature's role in child development has never been more compelling. Spending more time outdoors can improve children's social and cognitive development, physical activity, and vision.

In the pine-scented air of a New Hampshire summer camp, twelve-year-old Maya discovers something she'd almost forgotten during the pandemic years: the simple joy of making friends without a screen between them. As she learns to build a fire and navigate by the stars, her anxiety about social interactions begins to fade. Maya's experience mirrors that of countless children across America who are finding their way back to health through the transformative power of summer camps and outdoor experiences.

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered childhood, creating what researchers now recognize as a mental health crisis among young people. Adolescents' recreational screen time doubled during the pandemic, while opportunities for outdoor play and social connection vanished behind locked doors and virtual classrooms. The consequences were swift and severe: increased rates of anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal among children who spent their formative years isolated from peers and nature.

Yet emerging research suggests that summer camps and outdoor programs offer a powerful antidote to these pandemic-induced challenges, providing structured environments where children can rebuild the physical, mental, and social skills that were disrupted during lockdowns.

Nature as Medicine

The mechanisms behind nature's healing power are both profound and practical. Trees emit phytoncides, airborne chemicals can can improve mood and reduce stress. These compounds, particularly released by conifers like pines and firs, are linked to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increased feelings of well-being. Additionally, the visual and sensory experience of being around trees, such as the calming green color and the natural environment, can also have positive effects on mood.

More and more sunlight is being studied as a means to stimulate mitochondrial function in cells. The spectrum of light called red and near-infrared light penetrate deeply into tissues and stimulate mitochondrial function in various parts of the body. This stimulation increases ATP production, the cell's primary energy currency, and can reduce oxidative stress. 

Research suggests that nature promotes psychological and behavioral health among children, with particular benefits for urban children from low-income communities who historically had limited access to green spaces. And recent meta-analyses reveal that nature-based interventions support people to engage with nature in a structured way, providing measurable benefits for mental health problems that are associated with lower quality of life and increased healthcare costs.

The science supporting nature's role in child development has never been more compelling. Spending more time outdoors can improve children's social and cognitive development, physical activity, and vision. Outdoor learning enhances children's social interaction skills, confidence building, problem solving, independence, negotiation skills, and creativity. Unlike the passive consumption of digital media that dominated pandemic life, outdoor experiences demand active engagement, fostering resilience through manageable challenges and authentic achievement.

A Path Forward

As we move beyond the acute phase of the pandemic, the evidence supporting outdoor experiences and summer camps becomes increasingly relevant for public health policy. Summer holiday programs may provide environments that support mental health when the structures and supports of school are not available, offering critical continuity for children's development during vulnerable transition periods.

For Maya and millions of children like her, summer camp represents more than recreation—it's rehabilitation. In learning to navigate both wilderness trails and social relationships, children are reclaiming skills and confidence that isolation threatened to steal. As they build campfires and friendships, they're rebuilding themselves, one summer day at a time.

The path forward is clear: investing in outdoor experiences and summer camps isn't just about childhood enrichment—it's about public health recovery. The natural world, it turns out, may be our most powerful medicine for healing the pandemic's psychological wounds.

Read more about the healing power of forest bathing.